12 Suspects Paraded For Exam Leakage, Police Vows To Sanitise

12 suspects who served and participated in various capacities in the just-concluded West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in some states across the nation have been arrested by the Nigeria Police for prosecution over alleged involvement in various examination malpractices.

The discovery and arrest of the suspects was made possible following the renewed partnership between WAEC and the police to promote the integrity of examination processes in the country.


The police said its operatives discovered that “the suspects used their privileged positions as invigilators, supervisors and school functionaries to conspire, perpetrate and encourage various degrees of examination malpractices, including online transmission of examination questions and answers on various social media platforms.”



Force public relations officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, DCP Frank Mba, disclosed that, after investigations, 12 suspects were arrested in Kano, Rivers, Nasarawa and Bauchi states.

Mba said the inspector general of police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, assured the examination body of continuous support to discourage and eliminate examination malpractices and bring perpetrators to book.

Adamu also enjoined parents, guardians, students and other stakeholders in the examination processes to cooperate with the police and the examinations body to end examination malpractice in the country.

In another development, the inspector general of police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, has called on members of the public, particularly the alleged victims and all interest groups in the ongoing police investigations into the case of alleged dehumanising treatment on the Signatious Hotel staff in Warri, Delta state, to remain calm as the police intensifies efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“The IGP, while noting that the Delta state police command has since commenced discrete investigations into the matter with appreciable progress made, assures that justice will prevail, no matter whose ox is gored,” Frank Mba said.

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NPC Resumes Enumeration Area Demarcation Exercise In C’River

The National Population Commission (NPC) says it was resuming enumeration area demarcation exercise in Cross River state to begin with Yala local government area after the exercise had already been carried out in Calabar Municipality, Obudu, Ogoja, Bekwarra, Ikom, and Etung council areas.

The Commissioner representing the State in the Board of the NPC, Navy Captain Charles Ogwa (rtd), who made this known in Calabar, Tuesday, in a chat with newsmen, noted that the exercise was one of the pre-census major activities, preparatory for houses and population census scheduled for a yet-to-be-fixed date.


He said, “The President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, last week approved the undertaking and completion of enumeration area demarcation to show that the federal government is actually ready and willing to conduct a census after the last census of 2006. We in the NPC have given kudos to the President for this trust in the face of COVID-19 challenges and the economic challenges.



“In Cross River, we are about to start the phase 10, and this phase 10 is going on across the whole country. This is the seventh local government area that would be demarcated in Cross River and we have carefully chosen Yala local government area. Last week, we did advocacy by meeting with stakeholders, traditional rulers and other leaders in Yala.

“The phase 10 will start on October 5 with training of functionaries, and will last till October 9. The field work will start on October 10 and end the 22nd of October. Area demarcation means to demarcate has to do with dividing the community into sizeable units to enable enumerators perform easy and effective counting during the census period. They are referred to as enumeration areas and numbered.

“We are employing special technology capable of demarcating these areas, and then transferred to the national framework through satellite imaging. The technology is quite new and that means we are eliminating as much as possible paperwork and other challenges of inaccuracy, human errors amongst others.

“The data that will be generated from this exercise will be the main driver for the census proper,” he stated, and noted that having accurate data in a credible census exercise is profitable for effective planning.”

In his remarks, NPC Director in the State, Mr Billy Eteng, said the country was ready to conduct a credible, transparent and accurate houses and population count, explaining that the Commission was digitalizing the entire process to give the needed credibility to the question of Nigeria’s population. He called for cooperation from all Nigerians to make the exercise a success.

#orientdailynews

Security Report: Anambra Community Suspends Title-Taking Ceremony


Umuodu community in Ogbaru local government area of Anambra state, has suspended its title-taking ceremony scheduled to hold on Saturday, October 3, 2020. This is even as Isiagu community in Awka South local government area of the state has also concluded plans to honour an accomplished businessman and developer, Ugochukwu Onedimba, for his giant stride in opening-up the community.



Traditional ruler of Umuodu community, Igwe Raymond Iziza, in a statement titled: “Suspension of 2020 Title Holding Ceremony,” dated September 28, 2020, and signed by himself, said the Igwe-in-council took the decision due to security reports received against four out of five individuals selected for the titles by the town.


The statement added that the community had decided to defer the ceremony till next year while the New Yam Festival holds as scheduled.

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Abia Govt Launches FIAT, Vows Clampdown On Touting

An anti-touting initiative, has been inaugurated in Abia state with the aim of ending the practice all over the state, especially in Aba, its commercial nerve centre.

Focus Initiative Against Touting (FIAT), a non-governmental organisation and brain behind the initiative, observed that touts disguise as government officials to constitute nuisance on major roads, by constantly harassing motorists and patrons into the state, thereby stifling economic activities.


Victor Johnson, national coordinator, FIAT, in an interaction with newsmen at the Aba Recreation Club, venue of the event, explained that the organisation was working with the police and other security agencies to remove touts who were making lives difficult for entrepreneurs and other residents out of the roads.

“Ever since we came into being in 2016, we’ve been going round, from state to state, to make sure that the activities of touts are put on check.

“We’re carrying out our activities in collaboration with the Nigeria Police, as we have approval to serve as whistle blowers to the Nigeria police in the area of touting.

“As a non-governmental organisation, law enforcement agencies are the lawful weapons we have and we collaborate with them to make our society a better place.



Johnson explained that collaboration between FIAT and the Anambra state ministry of transport recently yielded good fruits as over 200 touts were arrested and prosecuted in the state, especially in Onitsha.

According to him, “Anambra state ministry of transport there partnered with us in the arrest of over 200 touts that were presented to a mobile court and some of them are still serving their sentences today”.

He stated that FIAT had written to Abia state government and was hoping that similar collaboration would enable them get touts off the streets of Abia state. “We’ve written to the state government and we are not after their revenue agents. We’ll ensure that their revenue agents are protected, because we believe that government will not give jobs to a tout.

“They’ll screen you before giving you a job. So, once anyone can prove that he is sent by the government, we’ll leave him; but we’ll monitor their activities so that it must be in tandem with what the law stipulates”, he stated.

Chima Ubani, Abia state coordinator, FIAT pleaded with all good-spirited Abia persons, who know these touts or those related to them, to advise them to hands off their illicit activities. “We have a lot of things to change in Abia, especially Aba. Our motor parks and our major highways must be cleared of touts. Every federal road must be cleared of touts”.

He pleaded for the support of the state government and their agencies to rid the state of touts.

FIAT director of publicity and orientation, Eusebio Eke, urged journalists in the state to assist the organisation in the fight against touting, stressing that the activities of touts were affecting all human endeavours in Abia. “We call on the press to join us in this fight. Aba is full of touts and their activities are affecting everybody. You know that, most times, it is people in government that keep those boys there.

“We need the press to help us in this humanitarian job because we can’t continue to have a society where people live in fear because of touts. FIAT has what it takes to tackle the issue of touting.”

#orientdailynews

Onitsha Port Operation Launch Postponed, Barges Not Available


The long-awaited commencement of haulage operation at the Onitsha River port has been postponed indefinitely following non-arrival of barges from Onne in Rivers state.

Orient Daily gathered that stakeholders, including importers and top political leaders, who gathered at the Onitsha River Port Complex on Monday evening for the official launch of the haulage operation left disappointed.


The managing director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Chief George Muoghalu, who announced the rescheduling of the event, assured that it would take off as soon as barge hiccups at Onne port were sorted out.

Speaking through the Onitsha area manager, Mrs Queen O. Uba, the NIWA boss added that once the barge expected from Onne arrived, other ones from Lagos and other ports would follow suit. He further disclosed that the process for the concession of the Onitsha River port may be completed in the first quarter of 2021 and that, once completed, the preferred bidder would take over operations at the port.



Earlier in his speech, the river port manager, Mr Baba Adams Spencer, disclosed that, since inception of Clarion Shipping operation in the port, all containers were transported by road but the arrival of Connect Rail Services Limited, with a better and improved option via the use of barge, there was high hope that it would transform the country’s modal transport system.

“It is a welcome development as it tends to promote transportation on our waterways. Much more than this, the operational activities at the port will be increased and will equally serve as revenue booster to the authority. On this basis, the presence of Clarion Shipping and Connect Rail Services at the port if synergised will promote commercial activities and attract more investors,” he explained.

Some of the participants and stakeholders, when contacted on the latest challenge facing the commencement of operations of the Onitsha River Port, declined comments. “I can only react when barge haulage operation commences as it has been postponed to enable them sort out the barge haulage hiccups at Onne that stalled the Onitsha River port barge operation,” said a top importer who refused to be named.

Meanwhile, the state chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, expressed satisfaction with the effort of the NIWA MD, George Muoghalu in ensuring a functional Onitsha River Port. He urged him to remain focused and ensure that everything needed for the smooth take-off and sustainable operations of the port were in place.

According to him, making the river ports, especially that of Onitsha, functional was key for unlocking the economic potential of the country and boosting commercial activities in the south east region. “(With) the concession, which process is going on now, when completed, Onitsha port will generate revenue for the government and create employment to the unemployed youths. The Lagos, Onne, among other ports, will be decongested and goods transported to Onitsha at a cheaper rate”, he stated further.

#orientdailynews

Oyegun Blames APC Edo Guber Defeat On Impunity, Democracy Deficit

The former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Monday, blamed the party’s loss in the recently concluded Edo2020 election on impunity, recklessness and lack of internal democracy within the party.

“The Edo election was free and fair, besides the June 12 election. No other election has been as free and fair as the Edo election. Edo is the heart beat of the Nigerian state. When elections are free and fair like this, it will reduce the problem of court cases after elections, even if the person is going to court, he will have it at the back of his mind that the election was relatively free and fair.


“What happened in Edo election was as a result of lawlessness, impunity, and lack of internal democracy in the party. If twenty persons say they want to contest for one position, allow them to contest, some may get 10 votes others may get 5 votes, but when you begin to talk to some to step down for others, then the ego in them becomes massive.”

Oyegun said, he did not support the APC candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-iyamu in the Edo State election because of his conscience, and the fact that he does not support injustice. “I cannot support injustice in terms of going out to work for injustice. I can’t go out and say vote for what my mind considered as wrong. Normal people should not support what is wrong. Your loyalty should be to what is right. It is a basic thing of conscience. When, you see that the group you belong to is doing the wrong thing it is a matter of principle to do the right thing.”

Commenting on Nigeria at 60 years of independence, he regretted that Nigeria is in this current state. The first Executive Governor of Edo State, said that things were rough and tough for Nigerians, and that there was despondency, hunger, economic deprivation, high level of unemployment in the land, and that the government had failed to successfully convey to the people a picture of a better tomorrow, and that is why it has been so difficult. He lamented that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari had been very unlucky as the country’s earning had been going down since he came into office.

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NMA Demands IMSUTH Road Contract Revocation, New Salary Implementation.

The Nigeria Medical Association NMA, Imo state branch has appealed to the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma to, as a matter of state importance, call the contractor handling the road leading to the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, IMSUTH, Orlu to order, and direct the company back to site or revoke its contract if it fails to complete the road project within a specified period.

Rising from an extraordinary meeting of the association, Sunday, September 27, 2020 in Owerri, NMA chairman in Imo, Dr. Okwara Chidiebere, told newsmen that the road leading to the teaching hospital was in dire need of attention, saying that bad roads had hampered a lot of productivity within and around the hospital vicinity.


Dr. Okwara, appealed to Uzodinma to either compel those handling the road project to either expedite action or have their contract revoked and re-awarded to another for the benefit of Imo State.

He said the disconnection between good health care delivery and the practitioners needed to be addressed by the governor. He said both doctors’ welfare and infrastructure needed for efficient performance at various public health centres in the state should be addressed.



“We are appealing that the revised consolidation medical salary structure circular 2014 with proper placement of doctors be implemented in Imo without delay. “We know our Governor has our interest at heart and that’s why we are pleading with him as a matter of urgency address the litany of problems piling up around medical care in the state.

“The implementation of this salary structure is the best gift Governor Uzodinma can give to Imo people on October 1. Our workforce is ready to put in their best to see that Imo attains a favourable level in health care delivery and we need to have all necessary tools to work with,” he said.

Okwara regretted that Imo had consistently been deprived of the salary structure which had been in existence since 2014, adding that with the current administration in place, he hoped their plight would be addressed.

The Chairman, Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, IMSUTH branch, Dr. Chijioke Nzewuihe, stated that Imo State boasted of some of the best committed medical doctors in the country and should be properly remunerated for efficient performance.

Dr. Nzewuihe also called on Governor Uzodinma to come to their aid by speeding up the pace of construction work at IMSUTH, stressing that should school resume without the road project completed, both students and teachers would face hard time going to school.

#orientdailynews

CITY SCOPEANAMBRA REPORTS
Juju Scare Stops Ogbaru Market Traders’ Union Election


The Ogbaru Relief Market Traders’ Union election scheduled for September 16, 2020 was postponed indefinitely following juju scare in the market, Orient Daily has gathered.

Although the Commissioner for Commerce, Markets, Trading and Wealth Creation, Hon. Uchenna Okafor, (Wiper) said the election was postponed due to the prevailing Coronavirus pandemic, this paper learnt that claims by a cleric, Brother Pius Ohanebo of the Ogbaru Prayer Ministry, that charms were planted indiscriminately inside the market near Onitsha, Anambra state, stalled the process.


The incumbent chairman of the market, Chief Victor Nwawuzie, (Akirika na Ukpor) and six other contestants are jostling for the top position.

According to the cleric, the charms were planted to stop the incumbent chairman from realizing his second term bid. “I told the traders that I got it from the spiritual realm that the election would not hold, that charms were planted in the market by the opposition to stall the re-election of the incumbent Chairman, Hon Victor Nwawuzie, who has recorded tremendous achievements for the traders.”



In a sermon he delivered at last Friday’s prayer session of the market, the cleric further disclosed: “I predicted the election would not hold because charms abound in the market. People planted charms to ensure the election did not hold.”

He, however, insisted that the incumbent chairman would triumph against his challengers and urged him to be steadfast in his prayers. “God said to you, behold I am with you Akirika, the devil does not stay where good things happen.

“Your offence, why the opposition is fighting you, is because you developed the market. God answered your prayers. At the peak of the COVID-19 Akirika provided palliatives to widows in the market and did concrete/ German floor of the market to stop the flooding that submerged the markert.”

According to the cleric, since the inception of the market there had been just two good leaders, late Anumba Innocent and the incumbent chairman, Nwawuzie, that were produced by the traders out of scores of previous selfish chairmen.

In his response, Nwawuzie commended the traders for rejecting bad leadership, adding, “my offence, why they want to remove me, is because I developed the market. I used catapult to sack the opposition. The opposition does not rest. After the prayer session some will rush to Awka to report me. The market will not be gutted by fire as they think. Do not be disillusioned by what the opposition said,” he enjoined the traders.

“The government has postponed the election because of covid-19 and asked the opposition to ensure that they pay their stallage and sanitation levies pending when the election would hold and you know government directed me to complete the seven months wrongly removed from my tenure”.

#orientdailynews